Tuesday, December 23, 2008

We've spent the last couple of days in France- Colmar for good chirstmasmarket cheer and a hearty Alsacian dinner and Emaus because its my absolute favorite. As always the old people get really excited that someone young is excited about old french finds, or is there at all. I had an old man sing a song to me about hats, an old lady insist i try on a monster of a skirt, and another old man trap me in a very long (french) conversation while i was trying to look at linens. Some of my favorite aquisitions: old lace collars, feathered hats, old glass stuffed animal eyes, and catholic medalions.

Sunday, December 21, 2008

Before flying outto home and in an attempt to get to dear Charity's wedding an hour above Atlanta, Reba and I drove through the map quested, brown leaved and sun streaked hills of mid-Georgia. Stops for directions became stops for adventures and acquisitions. which included, but are not limited to- the deer antlers we affectionately named Thompson, one and a half sets of sixties salt and pepper shackers, a good luck stone/heat/knot that was a gift from a woman with an Idgy-esque southern drawl selling old things on the side of the road (fingers crossed its not haunted). A stop was also made at the best trading post that side of the Atlantic. a white haired toothless man with thirty something free roaming rabbits and an outhouse, bottles and glass, old boots and years of history pilled up in a half dilapidated barn. A more unfotunate stop was made at a pizza place, with sticky red chairs, as the sun dropped and so did our spirits breifly, with our plastic fourthgrade plate buffet and people who tempted us to write "get of of this town before your no longer young!" on the dollar bills we left.We made it to an empty church five hours late, dead flower petals at the altar, and a silent couple vaccuming the reception hall. we also crashed an old folks-redsweater fest- christmas party and were offered a purse by a sympathetic looking grandpa. We researched the significance of loved ones birthdays from a large volume on the matter (i am not very accurate, Taylor and Nick not so much either, Lane's was a bit, Reba's since she gets to be some sort of priestess goddess, Roy's eerily so, and cant we see Emily eating a lot of cupcakes?)

Improvised, the night ended up as wonderful as the day had been. With impromptu stops to Athens and Atlanta. impromptu lovely people, conversations, coffee, the tree that owned itselfand the Demosthenian debate society building Casey was kind enough to show us 'round. It was hard not trying to fit an old portrait into my pocket, but stories are free and there were a good deal of good ones to save away.

Thursday, December 11, 2008

We've been moving things out. Goodbye old kitchen window with your menagerie of broken things and dried flowers. Goodbye to watching the mean neighbor lady with your monochramit pink outfits and your dog. Goodbye garden that we dug from a rubble pile. Goodbye to the weeds and mud we walk through behind the fence everyday that leaves us covered in wildflower burrs. Goodbye Dratyon street. Goodbye old house.

About Me

Artist and Illustrator! I grew up in Europe but now live in Savannah, Georgia- where I work out of my studio home that I share with my talented husband (and also Illustrator) Erik Riley. I'm always delighted to work on a project that stretches my creative horizon. I work on jobs for both professional publication and private commission and always love hearing from just about anyone!
(kgarrityriley@gmail.com)
More of my work can be found here:
KGRiley.com,
www.etsy.com/shop/KelseyGarrityRiley,
Catugeau.com